1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a military quick launching bridge system, transportable by means of aircraft, rail vehicles, water craft, and/or land craft, and layable cantilevered. The system comprises essentially a bridge, comprised of two track supports which are connectable by a coupling with one another and a laying mechanism; a laying device which is correlated with the laying mechanism and comprises a hydraulic device, a cable pull, and an electronic control; and an advancing support; wherein the track supports has two parallel ramps connected by a support section.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such quick launching bridge systems have been used for decades by many armed forces. Bridges with a large span of more than 20 meters are known, for example, under the name xe2x80x9cBiberxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cLeguanxe2x80x9d. See, for example, DE 44 34 027 C, DE 41 23 092 A, EP 0 347 019 A, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,102.
Bridges with a smaller span can be transported on trucks and can be launched from the truck. This is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,556,175, DE 39 32 742 C, EP 0 391 149 B, EP 0 407 235 A, or DE 40 09 354 A.
In all of these bridge types, which are laid cantilevered, particular consideration is given to the parts which are required for the cantilevering action. The mechanism must be configured such that it can receive the forces which occur during free advancing by cantilevering so that the bridge can be moved without jamming or canting and so that no premature wear occurs. For this purpose, the laying or launching vehicles have pairs of support rolls which cooperate with corresponding running surfaces on the bridge and enable the movement of the bridge. Moreover, motors and gear boxes are provided in order to set the bridge in motion. Finally, devices are provided on the transport and launching vehicles which enable coupling of the bridge disassembled during transport.
DE 40 09 354 A discloses a launching system, substantially comprised of a launching vehicle, an advancing frame, a laying arm, and an auxiliary arm, for a demountable track support bridge with a cantilever support arranged between the side girders. The individual bridge sections are coupled during assembly. The two sections of the track support, provided in each bridge section, and the section of the cantilever support comprised of two halves are movable in a transverse direction. For transporting them, they are telescoped into one another and, for installing them, they are extended. The track supports and the cantilever support have U-shaped cross-sections with vertical frame projections and frame transoms at the top. The frame transoms of the cantilever frame cross-section and the transverse beams are removable. As an alternative, the frame transoms of the cantilever support and the transverse beams can have two terminal hinges and a central hinge with locking possibilities and are then foldable for transport. With such a bridge it is possible to reduce the so-called transport profile of the vehicle and the bridge. However, the disclosed configuration is still very complex, and this is unsatisfactory.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a quick launching bridge system of the aforementioned kind which is of a significantly simplified configuration and which, moreover, is not only launchable with a specially configured launching vehicle but can be laid substantially with all land craft which are configured for pallet operation.
In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that:
on the ramps at the front and the rear a transverse pipe is mounted;
the cantilever support is provided with a pin wheel gear, transverse beams extending to the right and to the left at the front and the rear for engaging the transverse pipes, and running surfaces for support rolls of the laying device;
the laying device comprises a transverse transporter with a telescoping pipe on gliding plates, supporting rollers for the ramps on the telescoping pipe, and drivers adjacent to the transport rollers which cooperate with the ramps; and
expanding cylinders for extending and retracting the telescoping pipe and the ramps.
As a result of this configuration, the quick launching bridge system is suitable for tactical use in the case of small and average bridge spans without requiring preparation of the (river) banks. By means of the provided electronic control, the bridge can be launched by two soldiers within a maximum period of time of 10 minutes. The recovery can be achieved in about the same amount of time.
The transport can be carried out with all vehicles having sufficient transport capacity, i.e., also by means of aircraft, rail vehicles, or water craft.
The bridge according to the invention is laid cantilevered from the vehicle, preferably from a truck. For this purpose, the bridge sections are horizontally extended, coupled, and placed horizontally across the obstacle. As a result of the low aspect ratio, reconnaissance by the enemy is made difficult.
According to the invention, the bridge can also be transported by airplanes and helicopters wherein, in this connection, the capability of width reduction of the bridge during transport is particularly advantageous.
For rail transport, a predetermined tunnel profile can be maintained without problem. Special transport vehicles are not required.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the advancing support has a hat-shaped profile. Such a profile can be easily dimensioned such that during cantilevering the resulting bending forces can be safely received. Moreover, the lateral edges can be used as running surfaces for the support rolls of the laying device.
According to a preferred embodiment, the pin wheel is arranged to be protected in a recess within the hat-shaped profile.
Preferably, the transverse pipes in the ramps and the transverse beams on the advancing support are in the form of square pipes.
On the longitudinal ramp edge facing the central gap a guard rail can be provided. It provides a guiding function particularly for smaller vehicles. When eliminating a guard rail also on the outer edges of the ramps, cleaning of the bridge surface can be substantially simplified.
Advantageously, the ramps are comprised of a U-shaped profile open downwardly wherein the tapered ends of the ramps are closed at the bottom. As a result of the downwardly open configuration, the required torsional yielding is achieved which enables an optimal adaptation of the tapered ramp ends to the respective (river) bank. Since the tapered ramp ends are closed, the required support surface for transferring the traffic load is ensured even for banks that are not prepared.
Preferably, the surface of the ramps serving as the roadway have a slip-reducing coating.
Advantageously, the ramps are comprised of light metal. This reduces the weight so that even relatively long bridges can be launched cantilevered without requiring special launching vehicles, for example, a launching tank.
Because of the high load, the advancing support is advantageously comprised of steel.
In order to ensure a universal deployment by means of aircraft, rail vehicles, water craft and/or land craft, a suitable laying device is provided according to another embodiment of the invention. The laying device comprises, in addition to the above-mentioned transverse transporter, a first pin wheel gear with drive motor, gearbox and pinion; a forward lifting device with lifting arm, support rolls, centering plates and lifting cylinder; a rearward lifting device with lifting arm, support rolls, centering plates, and lifting cylinder; a cable pull with cable and motor-driven cable drum and a rearward laying arm with lower and upper supporting rollers which cooperate with the running surfaces of the advancing support; and a second pin wheel gear comprising a drive motor, gearbox, and pinion. In this connection, the laying arm is mounted on an axle and pivotable by means of a pivot cylinder between an approximately vertical upwardly pointing position and approximately vertical downwardly pointing position and can be locked in any pivot position.
According to a further embodiment, the pivot cylinder for the laying arm acts via a pivot lever which is rotatably mounted on the axle of the laying arm. For lifting the bridge, this pivot lever engages positive-lockingly the laying arm. The upward pivoting of the laying arm without load into the stowing position is carried out by a pivot drive arranged between the pivot lever and the laying arm. The pivot cylinder is in its free-running position.
As a result of the special loading situation of the laying arm, the laying arm as well as the pivot lever are preferably made of steel.
In order to enable the universal transportability of the bridge, the laying device can be mounted on a transport pallet or integrated into a transport pallet. The transport pallet can then be transported with the laying device and the disassembled bridge without special adaptation by means of any aircraft, rail vehicle, water craft and/or land craft.
According to one embodiment, the transport pallet has a pallet frame comprised of two longitudinal supports and two transverse supports, a forwardly attached support with a hook receptacle for connecting to the transport vehicle, holders for the cable drum, and guides for the track support positioned on top.
Advantageously, the transverse support carry the transverse transporter which, in turn, supports and moves the ramps.
Advantageously, the transport pallet is a steel construction.
Moreover, the transport pallet comprises a diesel-electric-hydraulic apparatus, the hydraulic device, the electric control, the expanding cylinders, and/or the support legs with the correlated support cylinders.
Advantageously, the transport pallet has additional support wheels.
According to one embodiment, all hydraulic cylinders our are configured as differential cylinders which, on the one hand, enable a quick adjustment and, on the other hand, enable a high force output.